Tag Archives: healthy life

As a customer service representative for JumpSport over the last 15 months, I have dealt with a wide variety of customers – from people brand new to the trampoline world to return customers looking to purchase just a few replacement parts for their existing trampoline.

But the most rewarding, and sometimes most difficult, phone calls are from customers with a warranty claim. Let me explain: since JumpSport has been in business for over 15 years, we have trampolines out there from about 2004 and on. The difficult part comes from identifying which model and year the customer has in order to give them the best possible service.

Most of our customers understand this and are easy to work with. I was very fortunate to have a customer like this recently.

Mr. Muilenburg called in with an older model StagedBounce Trampoline and 380 Safety Net purchased from his local dealer. After a few questions, and a bit of digging for the receipt, we had the unit identified and, per our policy, I requested some pictures of the trampoline to access the warranty claim.

During our calls, I discovered Mr. Muilenburg had a wonderful sense of humor. He helped the process along by providing clear photos of his concern cheerfully.

After we worked together to get the claim processed and his new parts on their way, Mr Muilenburg unexpectedly asked me for my supervisor’s email address. I am always grateful when a customer feels the need to commend my work, but I never expected a compliment like this:

April,

In 2007, I received a great gift from my mother. This particular investment wasn’t for me, but for my children (twins one boy and one girl). At the age of 4, they both knew they received something very special. Of all the different, less expensive models on the market, the decision was made to buy the JumpSport Trampoline. Oh boy, what an awesome investment it was! Now at age 11, the twins are the most physically fit in their 5th grade class. My daughter is a competitive gymnast (level 7) and my son is a ranked, competitive tennis player. As a parent and sports enthusiast, the 2+ hours (averaging) they spend on their trampoline a day, is a direct result of their physical aptitude. For this, I want to say “Thank You” for creating something so fun and SAFE that allows them to play without stressing us parents. All the neighborhood kids come to play on it as well. The trampoline is always in use and is very well received by parents and other kids alike. Then the unthinkable happened!

The legs had rusted through, thus making further enjoyment impossible. My kids were like a kite without wind. It was like losing a family pet!

Now, for the rest of the story. (I have always wanted to quote Paul Harvey).

My reason for contacting you is based entirely on JumpSport’s customer service. No less than 24 hours upon this incident, I called customer support and talked with a very delightful women, Dawn Arkin. Ms Arkin was a true professional and paid very close attention as I described my latest misfortune. She asked for pictures of the damage, which I promptly delivered (and mind you, gratefully presented); her response was just as quick. Within a couple of minutes, Ms Arkin had my shipment of replacement parts on its way to GA.

In closing, I know how important customer service is to the bottom line to a business. I am all too familiar with only complaints being lodged and rarely having any complements bestowing well-deserved employees. I am also in customer service, albeit, in a technical field, but the deliverable is always the same. The client is first and foremost. Ms Arkin should be commended on her ability to communicate, resolve, and deliver the ardent demands of the client (ME). Dawn is a valuable asset to JumpSport, and her ability to perform her job (ie. Understand what I was trying to say in terms of trampoline talk with certain part numbers, descriptions, etc. AND quickly order the parts from the warehouse) is a direct reflection in the company she represents, and both are working in harmony. A job well done!

PS. I will henceforth refer any parents that are interested in JumpSport Trampolines to call Dawn for all inquiries. I, for one, will always deter and dissuade any of my friends from selecting the cheaper brands..dare I say any competitors…( Wallyworld, etc).

Many Thanks,

Wesley Muilenburg

—

Needless to say, I was so taken back by such a wonderful compliment. And I just want to thank Mr. Muilenburg for being such a joy to work with. It’s customer’s like you that make this the best job I’ve ever held. Thank you!

What brings back childhood memories faster than playing in the backyard? A few years ago, as the warmer weather approached, I decided to buy a backyard trampoline for our family so we could spend time together…playing!

Like most mom’s, I did some research and became “an educated consumer.” A worried mom is a better investigator than the FBI! As I searched via Google and then Amazon for trampolines, I was overwhelmed to find more than 5,500 results.

You can probably guess which trampoline company I put my trust in since I write for them now! But even before I started writing for their blog site, JumpSport Trampolines answered all my questions and made me a believer. JumpSport Trampolines sets itself apart from the competition by delivering excellent products, backing them up with real warranties, and employing friendly customer service agents who know everything under the sun about trampolines. They also offer articles on trampoline safety and children’s exercise.

These are the key elements I found helpful when researching and what eventually led to my purchase. I hope they help you too!

Frame height and material – Having the frame height be at least 35” off the ground allows for deeper bouncing than when the frame sits lower than that. Plus, the frame should be made of “cold rolled steel” which according to different metal websites, “increases the strength and hardness” of the frame. (I did tons of research…can you tell?)

Springs – This component affects not only the day-to-day usage but also the longevity of the trampoline. The most durable and long-lasting springs are those made of zinc-plated steel and should be at least 8” long. This ensures a forgiving bounce, one that’s easy on the joints. Short springs produce a tight bounce and a harder jumping surface which could add up to injuries. I appreciated finding a trampoline that had over 80 springs around a 12’ diameter jumping mat too – a higher ratio than many trampolines on the market today.

Spring and mat connection - If you do some research, watch out for trampolines where the springs are connected to grommets in the mat. Not good! The best I found have looped straps and steel V-rings connecting the springs with the mat, creating a safe and long-lasting connection, one less-likely to tear.

Frame pad – Padding was something I didn’t think much about until I started comparing options. There is a difference, so check closely. Look for durable materials that completely cover the springs and frame; find out the type of padding used and if the material has a UV shield. Inexpensive materials deteriorate quickly.

Beyond the trampoline – I wanted a safety enclosure, adding a safety feature and allowing everyone, young and old alike, to join in the fun. As with the numerous trampoline options I found plenty of safety net options, but it seemed easier to zero in on the one that worked best for us because:

The poles were flexible, made of steel, and had shock-absorbing padding

The engineering and design prevented the net from collapsing

The overlapping entry system prevented people from falling through the opening, plus there were no clips or snaps to forget to open or close

So, I went with the JumpSport. Years later, I get to write for them. I still LOVE our trampoline! Summer family fun would not be the same without it!

After a week of no carbs, daily bouncing and some pretty long walks, I was able to pull off another win! For the second month in a row both Milt and I won our DietBet! If you are competitive person who needs a little push, this site would work well for you too. The concept is simple: join a game by buying in for $35 (that is the recommended dollar amount by the company and the amount that both the games we started with had but I have seen games with buy-ins as little as $15 and as much as $100) and you have 28 days to loss 4% of your body weight. At the end of 28 days, all participants who have lost the 4% receive their money back plus they split the money of the people who did not make it. Since doing both bets, I have lost 12.7 pounds and won a total of $87.41. Check out their testimonials.

For me, since I am so competitive, it really gave me something to strive for. For the last week of each bet I went a little scale crazy. Danny J at the The Sweaty Betties started a Facebook group to help support each other through the weight loss process and if we were all typical users, I wasn’t the only one with the “constant weighing” problem. So I am taking a small break from the games to give myself a break. I have found though that it does keep me on track and is always at the back of my mind. I am not sure it is a good long term solution, but it works to kick start or if you are at a weight loss plateau or need that extra push to finish a weight loss program.

Part of my commitment to this; is doing a few vlogs to show progress. Check me out doing sit ups on the JumpSport Fitness Trampoline (I am using the 570 in case you are curious) at:

I have lost 3 more pounds since then. Can you tell the difference? No? Well I cannot really either, but my jeans fit better. I have to say rebounding on the JumpSport Fitness Trampoline has made a huge difference in my ability to get a workout in. I am able to get in daily 10-15 minute work outs every day. It has given me more energy and has helped me focus. Adding exercise into my daily life was not as difficult as I thought it would be! Now that you have seen me doing sit-ups on the trampoline, you can see Krista do them right on my previous blog

I got a lot of feedback about my dislike for food logging (if you haven’t read it here it is!). Jeff McMullen has asked that I try food logging again but to make a commitment to do it for 8 weeks. That seems like such a long long time. Did I mention I do not like food logging enough yet? BUT, with everyone telling me I need to do it, I am going to try it again. Per your suggestions, I will be trying for 2 weeks each of the following: MyFitnessPal (again), FitBook, and FitDay. If you have any more suggests, please let me know. I am going to start logging on June 19th!

My continued problem with food logging is how do I add things like this? That is a large baked potato with the works (butter, sour cream, chives, bacon and jalapenos). We get these every Thursday night from the local farmer’s market. I am not willing to give up my Thursday night summer treat. I am willing to only eat half of it Thursday night though and the other half Friday for lunch. How do I log that? Is it more important that I abstain or simply change my eating habits?

The book of friendship continues to make it’s way around the United States reinforcing the importance of and power behind friendships. Here are some of the latest entries. Track the book’s journey on the map below.

#4 – Annie from Kennebunk, ME wrote:

#5 & #6 – Next, Margaret sent the book to Kris in Eagan, MN. Although Margaret’s friendship quote wasn’t recorded, Kris picked a friend, wrote her sentiment and popped the book in the mail to her friend, Sonja. Here’s a picture of Kris’ page to Sonja.

We hope this project inspires you to celebrate your friendships in new and unique ways. Email us with the ways you celebrate your friendships. We’d love to see them!

I have been a little resistant to writing this blog entry. That is not true; I have been very resistant to writing this blog entry. Why? Because I am failing at something. And who wants to admit that?

I am failing at food logging. MyFitnessPal could not be easier. There is a great iPhone app that syncs automatically with the website. The website sync’s with my FitBit and their website. With these two items working together, if I just logged my weight weekly and my food daily, the combo would do my entire daily calorie in and out as well as exercise count seamlessly. So why don’t I do it? Simply: I think it is lame. To make up for the silliness of counting every grape, I over obsess with it. It becomes this game where if I bounce more, walk more, then it is ok that I had that ice cream. But it isn’t really ok, because all calories are not created equal. So why do all that?

In reality it is ok that I have a cup of ice cream, just not the pint (Peanut Butter and Chocolate from Baskin Robbins in case someone wants to bring me some with that yummy vein of hard thick chunky peanut butter running through the soft dark decadent cool chocolate. Why don’t I want the pint again? (Please note I stole this from the Baskin Robbins website!! I did not give into this craving a few days before a DietBet weigh in!)

Yesterday, I went to lunch with my son, boyfriend and his mom, I ordered a blue cheese burger on sliced whole wheat (no mayo or bacon) with a side salad. When my meal came, I asked for a to-go box, sliced the burger in half and took it home. I satisfied my crazing for a burger without eating a bun or French fries. I felt great after lunch with the right amount of carbs, protein and veggies. How many calories did I eat? No clue. Does it really matter though? I made a smart choice and that is worth logging not how many calories I ate in blue cheese (a burger is not a burger without cheese and all cheese is GOOD). By the way, a cold blue cheese burger and coffee were yummy delicious for breakfast this morning. Dinner for breakfast is one of my top ten favorite food acts.

The biggest problem for me when it comes to diet and exercise is fitting everything into my day. It is always a balancing act, but if I want to be healthy for my son and be here for him, I need to figure it out. I think the mistake many people make is they believe they have to figure it out quickly. I fall into that trap; I always want the quick fix NOW. Well, there is no magic spell or secret potion. The only magic in this world for me is the family Milt and I have begun to build and that is worth taking the time to be healthy for them and for me. So, I have failed at calorie counting, it simply isn’t my thing.

Speaking of family, we just got a new puppy this weekend! He is a 3 month old lab mix and absolutely adorable so I guess I will be doing a lot more walking now! Too bad he can’t bounce on my fitness trampoline!

In some fun fitness news, did everyone see us on Good Morning America? It is always fun to see where our trampolines pop-up! Check out Miss Valerie Bertinilli—America’s Sweatheart and www.jennycraig.com Ambassador—#jumpin on our trampolines!

Has anyone had any success with food logging? Or, the better question would be, how do you keep yourself and your family on a healthy track?

How to survive a holiday weekend built around BBQ, beer and cake? No clue. I could have chosen to stay home, hunker down and pretend that everyone else wasn’t really out having fun spending time with their family and friends. It would have been easy since Milt worked all weekend. Instead, I decided to exercise more and try to eat less. Exercising more did happen. Eating less….happened two of three days and if we were playing a sets of tennis, I would win. But in the grand scheme of “things” having hot dogs and birthday cake (yummy delicious piled high with sugarycolored frosting birthday cake), Sunday night is not that bad.

I walked a total of eight miles this weekend, four of them on Saturday. I was feeling good, I was feeling great. I could do this thing….and that is when I made my tactical error. I have been doing a few 10-30 minute bounce sessions a week as the fabulous Jeff McMullen said to but I decided it was time to branch out and try something new. I was at least smart enough to realize after walking four miles, I might not be ready for a JumpSport Fitness Trampoline Workout Video BUT there are plenty of mini work outs I could try, specifically ones by our own Krista Popowych . While Mac napped on the couch, I decided to try out one or two of the Fit Tips by Krista Popowych. I decided to start with the Cure for Ab Flab.

I watched the three minute video once, and then I watched it again doing the exercises along with Krista. Really it didn’t seem that hard. Finally, I did a five minute or so warm up on the trampoline and then three sets of each exercise. I happily watched a saved episode of Chopped while I exercised (I am a Food Channel junky btw). After I was done, I did another few minutes of bouncing. It was great. Mac slept and I got in a mini workout. Great, right? I felt stronger in my core all day….until I woke up the next morning because I couldn’t sit up! For the last several days, I have not been able to laugh without it hurting! I cannot believe such a simple and easy routine made such a difference. I am going to try her Upper Body Too suggestions later on this week.

I also weighed in today. I am down 3 lbs from last week with six days left to go on my current Diet Bet with the Sweaty Betties. Danny J has been a great inspiration and given a lot of good advice. It is great to be able to talk to people who are struggling with the same things: eating right, time management, and just plain laziness from time to time.

Since I have been able to get my exercising inline to a certain extent, it is time to turn my attention to my caloric intake. Not just the number of calories I am eating but also what specifically I am putting into my body. I am going to use the MyFitnessPal website and iPhone app. I have done it before on and off. I have never been all that great with food logging consistently. But if I can manage to get a workout in while my son slept, I can surely find the time to log and to think about what I am eating. If anyone has any tips on how to make this a simpler process or on what works for them, I am all ears!

This might sound like an advertisement and to a degree, it is (after all, you’re on the JumpSport® trampoline blog!) but if you want the straight scoop about how easy it is to set up and use a JumpSport® Fitness™ Trampoline, read on.

As soon as our JumpSport® Fitness™ Trampoline arrived in the mail I asked my husband to help me assemble it. Little did I know that putting it together myself would have been a snap. But with his help, I was able to take photos that demonstrate the simplicity of it all.

Easy-to-understand directions ensured our success. After slipping the trampoline bed out of it’s packaging, my husband attached the six legs with the Allen wrench, included in the box. Minutes later – 10 to be exact – I was jumping on my new rebounder

The DVD that arrived with the trampoline was perfect for me, the beginning rebounder, and at the same time, ideal for me, the ex-marathon runner.

To be clear, I see myself as “athletic” but not an athlete, so I like to do an exercise routine to the max but I also want to be wise and balanced about my workouts. The JumpSport® Fitness™ trampoline helped me meet both criteria.

My 11-year old son was jazzed by watching me try out our new rebounder! He “jumped” right in, too, by following along with the exercises shown on the DVD. We took turns bouncing and encouraging each other (amidst a few goofs and giggles) as we tried to perfect each move.

Now, a few months later, I haven’t stopped bouncing. By working out 4 to 5 times a week in 30 – 60 minute sessions on my JumpSport® Fitness™ Trampoline, I’ve increased my stamina, strength, and flexibility.

Something I didn’t expect from JumpSport® was the variety of high-quality rebounding workout DVDs they produce. Each one allows me to follow routines lead by fitness professionals like Abbie Appel and Krista Popowych. The DVD’s offer viewers the option of working at a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level, giving them a moderate or challenging workout and address core, abs, balance, strength training, and more!

So don’t let your exercise routine get stale. Let it “out of the box” by adding a JumpSport® Fitness™ Trampoline to the mix and see what happens!

Back pain can manifest as a dull pain or completely leave you flat. Previous injuries from sports or car accidents only exacerbate being prone to back pain.

Until recently I had been immune to this sort of discomfort. Maybe it was my age or my full-time position as a fitness professional and busy stay-at-home mom for preschoolers, but now that I have a more sedentary job I, well, feel your pain.

Aggravators of back pain can come from standing, heavy-lifting, poor support while sitting, your mattress, and/or even your shoes. There are musculoskeletal symptoms such as herniated discs that can wreck havoc on your body, but for this blog, we’ll focus on common aggravators such as the aforementioned.

Relief comes in a variety of sorts. One simple activity you can do to help a sore back is to take frequent breaks from your seated position, walk around and stretch. You can strengthen your back and abdominal muscles with Pilates and yoga. Proprioceptive training, which, as I have referred to many times, is balance training. This essentially makes all of your muscles “stand at attention” and become strong. You can practice balance training on your JumpSport Fitness Trampoline: stand on it, gently bounce on it and then come to a complete stop, raise a heel then a foot. These exercises will help to strengthen your muscles and may alleviate pain associated with weakening muscles.

Some people find relief through accupuncture, massage, or chiropractic therapy. My mother in law has been sipping on parsley tea for over a year now as directed by her Amish chiropractor in Pennsylvania. She has experienced little to no pain in her back since adopting the regimen.

Keeping one’s body within a healthy weight range and wearing shoes that support the skeletal system as opposed to aggravating it with high heels or flat sandals can work wonders. Exercising and moving in rotation, side to side, as well as forward and backward moves the spine the way it was meant to be moved.

If you have back pain that is chronic and cannot be rectified by these measures, it is best to consult with your medical provider. Hopefully, however, many of you (myself included) can alleviate back pain by making simple adjustments that will ultimately yield better health and happiness.